Apparatus for drying bottles.



F. L. JE-FFERIES & W. SPAIN. APPARATUS FOR DRYING BOTTLES.

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 22. Hill.

1 {272,346. Patented July 9, 191s.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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MAM, M

F. L. JEFFERIES & W.-SPMN.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING BOTTLES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22.1911.

1 72,346. Patented July 9, 1918.,

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

F. L. JEFFERIES & W.'SPMN.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING BOTTLES. APPLICATION FILED w n: 22. 1912.

Patented July 9, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Jib 1 6556; 4

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDBICK L. JEFFEBIES AND WILLIAM SPAIN, OF RIVERSIDE, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOBS TO CORN PRODUCTS DEFINING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING BOTTLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1918.

Application filed June 22, 1917. Serial No. 176,887.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, F REDRICK L. JEF- rnnms and \VILLIAM SPAIN,citizens of the United" States, residin at Riverside, in the county ofCook and tate of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Drying Bottles, of which the following isa specification.

Our invention relates to drying apparatus and particularly to the typeof drying apparatus suitable for drying receptacles such as bottles orthe like.

The invention has as its primary object the provision of a new andimproved ap paratus suitable for drying receptacles whereby the dryingoperation may be performed thoroughly, rapidly and economically. Theinvention contemplates more particularly an apparatus for drying theinterior and exterior surfaces of receptacles having restricted openingssuch as bottles or the like.

The invention consists of the novel arrangements, constructions andcombination of parts hereinafter described and claimed for carrying outthe above stated object and such other objects as may appear from thefollowing illustrations and description.

The referred embodiment of our invention isi lustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference desi natecorresponding parts, and in whic l Figure 1 is a side view, inelevation, of an apparatus constructed in accordance with our invention,certain parts of which are broken away for purposes of clearness.

Fig. 2 is a view, in elevation, of the fan employed in our preferredconstruction, showing the side opposite to that shown in Fi 1.

ig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; i

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

'Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is another enlarged section taken on line 77 of Fig. 6.

In the drawings we have illustrated our invention in connection with anapparatus suitable for drying bottles. This form of apparatus, however,has been employed merely for the purpose of illustrating one of theprincipal uses for which our inventwo is particularly adapted, namely,drying the interior of receptacles having restrictedv openings such asbottles, and the like. When drying bottles, for example, andparticularly bottles intended to be filled with cooking oils, such ascorn oil, for example, it is necessary to remove all moisture from theinterior of the bottle. Should the bottle not be entirely free frommoisture before being filled with oil, the water becomes mixed with theoil in such manner as to give the oil a cloudy and unsightly appearance.

()ur preferred manner of drying bottles, so as to avoid the aboveresults, is to introduce heated air into the interior of the bottle soas to expel any excessive amount of water and evaporate the remainingmoisture which is not expelled in the above manner. The vapor resultingfrom such evaporation is forced out of the bottle by the incoming airand thereby prevents any condensation of vapor in the bottle.

While the apparatus illustrated in the drawings embodies our inventionin a preferred form, it will be obvious that the structural features maybe modified without de arture from the invention.

eferring to the drawings, the apparatus is shown as consisting ofsupports 10 and 11 which are connected together by means of angle irons12. The depending flanges of these angles serve as a convenient means ofsupporting an air heating trunk or chamber composed preferably of asheet metal casing 13 havi an open top end having its vertical side wels secured to the aforesaid flanges of the angles 12 in any suitablemanner, as, for example, by means of the cross-bars 14. Steam coils 15and 16 extend lengthwise of the casing and are preferably disposed instaggered relation with respect to each other, so that the airintroduced into the casing by means of the fan 17 will be heatedrapidly. A belt conveyer 18 extends. over drums 19 and 20 and operatesacross the open top of the air heater so as to provide, in effect, amovable closure for the same. The belt 18 is preferably made of canvaswebbing sufiiciently stiff and heavy to prevent it from sagging underthe weight of the bottles being dried, and the edges 21,

22 preferably rest upon the horizontal flanges of the angles 12. Thisconstruction in addition to preventing any sagging of the belt, alsoprevents any appreciable escape of heated air around the e es thereof.In order to maintain the belt as tight as may be required, the drum 20is movably mounted on the support 11 by means of slides 23 which areadjusted by screw bolts 24. 25, 25 designate idle rollers disposed atcon venient points beneath the apparatus so as to support the lowerstrand of the belt 18. Numerals 26 designate a plurality of air pipeswhich extend through apertures 27 (Fig. 6) in the belt and are securedto the belt by means of nuts 28, 29. Metal wash: ers 30 are interposedbetween belt 18 and the nuts 28, 29 to stiffen the connections betweenthe pipes and the belt and hold the pipes in perpendicular relation tothe belt. In order to provide suitable clearance for the nuts 29, thedrums 19 and 20 are provided preferably with leather bands 31, which maybe secured thereto by means, of screws 32. Coil springs 33 surround thepipes 26 to provide resilient stops for the bottles. This enables theoperator to ut the bottles over the pipes very rapidly without danger ofbreaking or chipping the neck of the bottle. The springs, it will alsobe noted, hold the orifice of the bottles a short distance away from thenuts 28 so as to permit the free escape of the air which is in troducedinto the interior of the bottles through the pipes 26. A sheet metalhousing 34 is secured to the horizontal flanges of the angles 12 andextends over the belt conveyer 18 and u standing air pipes 26 so as toprovide an inc osed passageway throu h which the bottles 35 are conveyedduring t e drying operation.

In operation, the conveyer 18 is driven in the direction indicated bythe feathered arrow in Fig. 1, by any suitable means such, for example,as the worm 36 and gear 37, which ma be operatively connected with anysuitable ibrm of motor (not shown). The bottles 35 are put in place overthe air pipes 26 and are sup orted in inverted position by the coilsprings 33 in a manner which permits .the free discharge of water andair. The bottles are conveyed through the inclosed passageway formed bythe housing 34 and removed from the conveyer when they reach the otherend of the machine. Air is forced into the casing 13 of the airheatingmember by means of the fan 17 and passes over the heating coils 15, 16.The heated air passes from the heater into the interior of the bottlesthrough air pipes 26 so as to remove all moisture from the innersurfaces thereof. The heated air es caping from the bottles as they passthrough the inclosed passageway 34 will be somewhat confined within thesaid passageway and therefore serve to dry the exterior surface of thebottles, and also to keep the bottles warm so as to more effectively drythe inner surfaces thereof, which isthe principal function of themachine. 38 designates a suction or air-return pipe leading from one endof the housing 34 (as indicated in Figs. 1 and 5) t0 the inlet port 39of the fan 17 (shown best in Fig. 2). By this arrangement circulation ofair through the apparatus is established which efl'ects an economy ofheat.

As further modifications could obviously be made without de arture fromour invention, we do not wis to limit the invention to the exact.structure shown and described except so far as specific limitations mayappear in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In apparatus for drying receptacles, the combination of a hot airtrunk, a conveyer which is movable lengthwise of the trunk and forms thetop of the same, and means for holding receptacles in inverted positionon said conveyer provided with air ducts for introducing hot air fromthe trunk into the receptacles.

2. In apparatus for drying receptacles, the combination of a hot airtrunk, a conveyer which is movable len hwise of the trunk and forms thetop of t e same, means for holding receptacles in inverted position onsaid conveyor provided with air ducts for introducing hot air from thetrunk into the receptacles, and cushioning supports for the necks of thereceptacles.

3. In apparatus for drying receptacles, the combination of a receptaclesupport, a tubular member extending through said support over which areceptacle is adapted to be placed in inverted position, and a coiledspring surrounding the lower end of the tubular member and bearingagainst said support upon which the receptacle is adapted to rest sothat the open end of the same is raised from the support.

4. In apparatus for drying receptacles, the combination with asupporting structure, of an air heater, and a conveyer provided withmeans for supporting said receptacles in inverted osition so that theopenings thereof are eld out of contact with said conveyor, saidsupporting means providing air ducts extending into said receptacles andcommunicating with said air heater.

5. In an apparatus for drying receptacles. the combination with asupporting structure. of an air heater. :1 fan for introducing air intosaid heater, a conveyor provided with means for retaining saidreceptacles in inverted position and adapted to close the upper side ofsaid heater. :1 housing extending over said conveyor and providing apassage through which said receptacles a re convcvrd. means permittingthe escape of air from said heater into said passage, and a return pipeleadin from said passage to the intake of said an.

6. In apparatus for dryingreceptacles, the combination with a supportingstructure, of an air heater, a conveyer provided with means having airducts adapted to retain said receptacles in inverted position, saidducts communicating with sai heater so as to introduce heated air intothe interior of said receptacles, a housing providing a passage throughwhich said receptacles are conveyed, and means interposed between theopen ends of said receptacles and said conveyer to permit air to escapefrom said receptacles into said passage so as to dry the exteriorsurfaces of said receptacles.

7. In an a paratus for drying receptacles, the combination with asupporting structure, of an air heater, a coiiveyer provided with meanshavin air ducts adapted to retain said receptac es in inverted osition,said ducts communicating with sai heater so as to introduceheated airinto the interior of said receptacles, a housing providing a passagethrough which said receptacles are conveyed, and coiled springsinterposed between the open ends of said receptacles and said conveyerso as topermit the heated air to escape from said receptacles.

8. In apparatus for drying receptacles, the combination with asupporting structure, of an air heater, a'conveyer for said receptacles"provided with means formed with air ductswhich extend into the interiorof said receptacles and communicate with said air heater, a housing oversaid conveyer, a fan for forcing air into said heater, and a return pipeleading from said housing to the intake opening of said fan.

9. In apparatus for drying receptacles, the combination with asupporting structure, of a belt conveyer for sa-idreceptacles providedwith-air pipes. which extend intothe interior of said receptacles andcommunicate with said air heater, a housing over said conveyer, meansfor supporting the edges of said belt, a fan for forcing air into saidheater having an intake openingto the atmosphere, and a return ipeleading from said housing to the inta e opening of said fan which partlycovers the same.

10. In apparatus for drying receptacles, the combination with asupporting structure, of an air heater comprisin a casin havin steamcoils arranged therein, an en less be t conveyer adapted to supportreceptacles and to close the upper side of said casing, and providedwith pipes communicating with said air heater and adapted to introduceheated air into said receptacles, and means for taking up the slack insaid conveyer,

comprising a pulley slidably mounted on said support, and screws adaptedto hold the same in any adjusted position.

-means for holding the bottles-out of contact 11. In apparatus fordrying bottles, the combination with an air heater, of a conveyer whichextends over and forms the tog of the heater, and means for supportingan introducing heated air into said bottles, comprising pipes attachedto the conveyer, communicating with said heater and extending into thenecks of the bottles.

12. In apparatus for drying bottles, the combination with an air heater,of a belt conveiyer which extends over and forms the top 0 the heaterand means forsujiporting and introducing heated air into sai bottles,comprising pipes attached to the conveyor, communicating with saidheater and extending into the necks of the bottles.

13. In apparatus for dr ing bottles, the combination with an air eater,of a belt moving support which extends over and forms the to of theheater, and means thereon for int ucing heated air into said bottles,comprising pipes attached to the support, communicating with said heaterand extendinginto the necks of the bottles, and

with said belt to a thereof.

14. In apparatus for drying bottles, the combination with an air heater,of a belt conve er which extends over and forms the top 0 the heater andmeans for su porting and introducing heated air into sai bottles,comprising pipes attached to the conveyer, communicating with saidheater and extending into the necks of the bottles to a point near thebottom thereof, and coiled springs between the necks of the bottles andthe belt for holding the bottles out of contact with said belt.

15. In apparatus for drying receptacles, the combination of a hot airtrunk, a conveyer which is movable lengthwise of the trunk and forms thetop of the same, means for holding receptacles in inverted position onsaid conveyer provided with air ducts for introducinghot air from thetrunkinto the receptacles, and a hood on the trunk extending over saidconveyer.

16. In apparatus for drying receptacles, the combination of a hot airtrunk, a coni veyer which is movable lengthwise of the trunk and formsthe top of the same, means for holding receptacles in inverted positionon said oonveyer provided with air ducts for introducing hot air fromthe trunk into the receptacles, a hood on the trunk extending over saidconveyer, air-heating means arran ed in said trunk, and a return pipefrom the 00d to said trunk.

17. In apparatus for drying receptacles, the combination of a hot airtrunk, a conveyer which is movable len hwise of the trunk and forms thetop of t e same, and a plurality of tubular members fixedto saidconveyer providing means for holding repoint near the bottom ceptaclesin inverted ition on the conveyer and for introducing air into the samefrom said air trunk.

18. In apparatus for drying receptacles, the combination of a hot airtrunk, a conveyer which is movable len hwise oi the trunk and forms thetop of t e same, a pinrality of tubular members filled to said eonveyerproviding means for holding receptacles 1n inverted position on theeonveyer and for introducing air into the same from said air trunk, anda hood on the trunk extendin over said conveyor.

19. n apparatus for drying receptacles, the combination of a hot airtrunk, a conveyer which is movable len hwise offthe trunk and forms thetop of t 'e same, a pluralit of tubular members fixed tQ'Sflld conveyerroviding means for holding receptacles 1n inverted position on theconveyer and for introducing air into the same from said air trunk, andcushioning devices for the necks of the receptacl'es.-

20. In apparatus for drying receptacles, the combination of a' eonveyermeans providing a passageway through w ich the conveyer moves, means forsupporting receptacles m inverted position on the conveyer, and meansfor mtroducln heated air into the receptacle while moving through said80 passe way. p

21. n apparatus for dryin receptacles, the combination of an air trun aconveyer movable longitudinally of the air trunk,

means for introducing heated air into the 86 movable longitudinally oithe air trunk. means for introducing heated air into the trunk,-meansfor supporting receptacles in inverted position on the conveyer so that46 heated air from the air trunk is introduced into the interior of thesame, and a hood which extends over a portion of the trunk and conveyer.

FREDRICK L. JEFFERIESQ WILLIAM SPAIN.

receptacles, t6 the combination of an an trun a conveyer

